Physical training for pregnant women.

Pregnancy and childbirth are a very important stage in the life of every woman. Of course, you can say a lot about how beautiful, healthy and pleasant it all is. But every coin has a downside. And with pregnancy everything is exactly the same - fears, anxieties, confusion. And the baby is no longer perceived as a “fairy-tale toy”, but as the cause of a growing belly, heartburn, headaches and the inability to live as before.

A very important point in a successful pregnancy is the general physical condition of the expectant mother. Unfortunately, most young women do not particularly care about the future: they smoke, drink, are overweight, or, on the contrary, exhaust themselves with disorganized nutrition. And in the physical sense, they are completely uncoordinated.

Naturally, when such an additional burden as pregnancy arises, the woman’s physical status becomes even more complicated. Which, in turn, leads to nervous breakdowns, depression, and even refusal of repeated pregnancies.

Why do you need to take it to extremes, and wait until it becomes completely unbearable, wait for your figure to deteriorate? You will gain excess weight, your abdominal muscles will lose tone, your chest muscles will stretch, lower back pain will appear, and varicose veins are quite possible. Isn't it better to take care of your physical condition in advance? After all, a woman, in order to bear and then give birth to a child, requires qualities such as strength and endurance. Is it true that you have already come across these words in exactly this combination? Certainly! This is exactly what fitness gives us!

After all, doctors constantly say that after giving birth a woman will quickly regain her previous shape and health if she does not lie on the couch for 9 months, but moves actively. Within reasonable limits, of course. By the way, for athletic mothers the birth process itself is much easier than for lazy mothers. This happens because the muscles are trained, and the lungs and heart are also trained. And if the body regularly receives physical activity, endorphin accumulates in it - a hormone that is a natural pain reliever.

So, if you haven’t visited the fitness room before today, then it’s time to show up there. Since most fitness centers have special training programs for expectant mothers. Nobody forces pregnant women to carry iron. Training for pregnant women is very gentle. Smooth and leisurely. They engage in quiet activities:

1. breathing exercises;
2. light dance and low-intensity aerobic classes;
3. general physical exercises;
4. relaxation;
5. flexibility exercises;
6. yoga for pregnant women;
7. aqua aerobics.

Be sure to ask at the fitness center whether the trainers have experience working with pregnant women.

But you definitely shouldn’t do this to avoid problems:

1. run. Even slowly and over short distances;
2. resort to shock compression and aerobic exercise;
3. lift block devices, dumbbells and other weights weighing more than three kilograms in front of you;
4. perform abdominal exercises with high intensity;
5. perform various twisting and bending movements (they can cause the uterus to become hypertonic and thereby provoke a miscarriage;
6. from the second trimester, all exercises that should be performed lying on your back should be excluded from the training program (the fetus may experience oxygen deficiency);
7. It is better to replace exercises in an upright position with those performed on your knees;
8. Swings and sudden movements are prohibited in swimming; you should not bend your back too much;
9. In yoga, it is prohibited to perform all asanas performed in an inverted pose. Excessive stretching and legs higher than your head can cause miscarriage;
10. From the third trimester, stretching exercises should be done with great care. Because the body, in order for the child to pass through the birth canal more easily, begins to produce the hormone relaxin, which makes the joints more pliable. And if you are not careful, you can get dislocated.

It should be remembered that during pregnancy, changes occur in the body, which must be taken into account when conducting regular physical training:

1. under the influence of relaxin, the joints become weak. Therefore, training weights should be kept to a minimum. You should perform exercises that do not overload your joints. It is ideal to train in a sitting position, with support under your back;
2. training intensity should be low. Compound exercises such as deadlifts and squats should not be overused. Especially in the second trimester of pregnancy;
3. You should train not occasionally, but regularly. Exercise 3-4 times a week. If you did not engage in athletic exercises before pregnancy, then you should not start at this time;
4. It is very important to breathe correctly. Don't hold your breath while doing exercises. Because when you hold your breath, oxygen starvation of the fetus occurs;
5. The body position must be correct: exclude exercises while lying and standing. Only sitting;
6. During training, you should monitor your body temperature and not overheat;
7. When performing aerobics, you should monitor your heart rate. It should not exceed 125 beats/minute.

Fitness classes are an excellent way for expectant mothers to improve their mood, strengthen the cardiovascular system, relieve stress and avoid depression. But in any case, before you start exercising for pregnant women, be sure to consult your doctor. Of course, ideally, a woman should not go to a fitness club alone, but accompanied by her husband.